Read:

John 8:1-11

¹  Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.  ² And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  ³ And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,  ⁴ They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  ⁵ Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  ⁶  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  ⁷ So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  ⁸ And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  ⁹ And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  ¹⁰ When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  ¹¹  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Hebrews 12:1

¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Exhortation:

Convicted in their consciences, the accusers and the plotters slipped away, one by one, beginning with the eldest. Arising, Jesus asked the woman, “Hath no man condemned thee?” (v.10). Literally it means, “Hath no man found you guilty and pronounced his sentence?”

No man, who spotted her sin, could give the verdict because every one of them was overwhelmed by the guilt of his own sins and fled the scene. Jesus then said, “Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more” (v.11).

No one is a greater judge than our Lord. Before His judgment no secret shall lay veiled, nor shall anyone be able to claim innocence. Every man’s conscience shall bear witness of his sins and shall be humbled.

The departing of the Jews seem to suggest that they feared the Lord would expose them if they were to stay and try to accuse the woman and to trap Jesus. They fled from His presence. “The wicked flee when no man pursueth” (Prov 28:1).

There are some who suggest that Jesus taught us here not to judge those who engage in sin. It is certainly wrong that Jesus took a lenient view of the woman’s sin because He told the woman only to “sin no more.”

But the reason for those words of Christ goes deeper than that thinking. We note that the woman addressed him as “Lord” (v.11). If she had recognized the truth regarding Jesus, then her calling Him “Lord” implies her repentance, faith and salvation  (cf. Rom 10:13; 8:1). Jesus transformed the sinful woman. She was comforted by the promise of the Gospel, which is forgiveness. He did not condone her sin; but He gave her another chance. He said, “sin no more.”

Thought:

“Saved to sin no more.”

PRAYER

O Lord, help me to lay aside every sin that easily besets me.